Read Giants for Free Online

halt. “It’s chaos back there.”
    Herrek became stern. “It’s good you didn’t listen to Elidad then.”
    “Elidad?” she asked.
    “I sent him south with a message,” Herrek said.
    “Elidad never spoke to us.”
    “Did sabertooths intercept him?” Herrek asked, alarmed. “Quickly, we must—”
    “Lord,” Joash said, tugging Herrek’s cloak. “Nestor and I saw chariot tracks headed north.”
    Before Herrek could react, the small singer stepped off her chariot in front of him. “Tell me exactly what you saw.”
    Joash blushed. The singer had never spoken to him before, and he found her exotically beautiful. Her eyes—
    “Speak,” Herrek said, nudging him.
    Joash stammered, describing what he’d seen, including the giant skeleton.
    “Why would Elidad head deeper inland?” asked Herrek. “That makes little sense.”
    “This is Giant Land,” Adah said. “Its ancient name is the Kragehul Steppes. Here mysteries are dangerous. Added to the strange behavior of the sabertooths, we must hurry back to Lord Uriah.”
    After a moment, Herrek nodded. “Ready the chariots. We’re heading for Hori Cove.”
    Grooms and drivers raced to hitch the teams. Joash ran to the dogs, unleashing the leaders. Wagon masters went to their wagons, servants and hunters ran to the captured stallions.
    As Joash unleashed the last one, the dogs began barking, their hackles up as they glared at the dry riverbed.
    “What do they sense?” Herrek shouted at Joash.
    Joash stood among the dogs, away from the others and closest to the riverbed. “I’ll go see,” he shouted.
    “Wait, I’ll go with you,” Nestor said, as he drew his sword, running to help.
    The dogs took courage in the company of the armed groom and barked louder than before. Perhaps stung by that, a hidden sabertooth roared with hatred. The huge beast scrambled out of the riverbed and charged Nestor.
    Joash snatched his javelin from where he’d laid in on the ground. Blood flowed from recent wounds on the sabertooth’s flanks, and the beast’s saber-like fangs were an odd yellow color. Joash hurled his missile and missed. He drew his dagger, and froze as the sabertooth roared again. The dogs jumped out of the sabertooth’s path, leaving an open lane to Nestor. The groom shouted the Teman war cry and swung viciously. He might as well have swung a stick. The massive sabertooth sent the sword spinning. Then its claws shredded flesh as the beast crushed Nestor backward into the ground.
    Horror struck Joash numb. He blinked once, twice, and then forced his arm to lift. He stepped near the beast with his puny dagger. A parrot-feathered arrow hissed past him and sank into the sabertooth’s side.
    About to bite Nestor’s head, the beast snarled rage and whipped its head up.
    The dogs recovered from their surprise. Harn and the others swarmed the sabertooth, lunging in, biting, darting out and dancing about the beast as they barked wildly. The beast flicked its paws and sent a dog tumbling. Brave Harn darted in from the other side and dug his teeth into gray hide. Furiously, the sabertooth whirled and slashed. Harn fell back with a whine, blood pumping from his side.
    Now Herrek arrived. He roared his battle cry and hurled his spear. The beast sagged, and another parrot-feathered arrow hissed into it. Herrek raced past Joash and thrust his sword. The sabertooth snarled and tried to swat the warrior. Then, others hurled spears and the sabertooth died.
    Sick with fear for his friend, Joash helped the warriors drag Nestor out from under the beast. Incredibly, Nestor breathed, but white thighbone stuck through torn flesh, and he must have several cracked or broken ribs. Adah knelt beside him. Like many singers, she knew the healing arts. She pushed the bone into place and used her long dagger-sheath as a splint, winding a cord around it. Nestor awoke, groaning. Then he clenched his teeth and remained silent.
    Chariots rattled into the riverbed and out beyond. Warriors